SHILLONG, OCT 20: The proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has demanded that the union government withdraw the Arms Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) from Meghalaya even as it sought clarification on the stand of the centre on the August 9, 1947 -‘standstill agreement’.
“The government of India should withdraw the armed forces act and its political machineries at the earliest from the Khasi-Jaintia hills region, if at all it wants peace and normalcy to draw closer once again,” HNLC publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw said in a statement issued on Monday.
He said the outfit also seeks clarification from Government of India on its stand, as to why the Standstill Agreement that was signed on the August 9, 1947, terminated forcefully and why this was done in just six months of time instead of two years which was decided.
Paying tribute to the Khasi warrior Wickliffe Sing Syiem on his 26th death anniversary, Nongtraw said, “We offer our salute to the King. Wickliffe Sing Syiem was among the first leaders to convince the state leaders to shape the Federation of Khasi states in 1947, and also founded the Hynñiewtrep Nationalism on May 16, 1946.
According to him, the British Cabinet Mission released its statement known as the 16th May 1946 Mission Statement which states,“Units of state would fall under the supervision of the Indian government on three areas mainly the Defence, the Foreign Affairs and Communication.”
“However, when India achieved its Independence, the Standstill Agreement was broken only within six months since the day it came into force,” he said adding “This was done by compelling the syiems to immediately sign the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement 1948.”
The syiems were very much opposed to signing the documents but were helpless at that point of time as, under duress and with guns pointed at them; they had no
other options left, but to sign the same, Nongtraw said adding as other kings had opposed to this act of coercion by the Indian Government, Wickliffe Sing Syiem joined hands with the Hynñiewtrep Kings in going against the Indian Union.
It was the Indian National Congress under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru which was responsible for forcefully signing the Instrument of Accession and annexed agreement at gunpoint, Nongtraw alleged
Further, the HNLC expressed shocked to learn that the traditional chiefs are instead demanding for article 371. “This only signifies that they (Chiefs) are not yet conscious of the worth of the Standstill agreement,” Nongtraw said.
According to him, it is the double standards of the Government of India which had imposed restrictions on the entry of Wickliffe Sing Syiem into the Khasi land when he was on a tour to Pakistan for trade relations.
If the Government of India considers that the rights of people exists, as per the declaration of the UNO to the Indigenous people of the world, then the union government should recognize the rights of Self determination and self governance to the Khasi land and its people, Nongtraw added.
Meanwhile, the HNLC appeal to the people of the Khasi – Jaintia region including ngoss, stakeholders, intellectuals, politicians to immortalize the warrior’s death anniversary in the form of erecting monuments, or organizing events so that the people of the Hynñiewtrep as a whole, remember the supreme sacrifices made by the warrior King Wickliffe Sing Syiem.- By Our Reporter
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